Casanova
by button-pusher
Summary: Jill is the strong willed, cynical, pessimistic heir to her father's farm. She's also the surrogate older sister to her young cousin, and the only one who can save the Harvest Goddess. Not to mention she's the only one the notorious Phantom Thief absolutely loves to mess with.
1. The Little Rat

**Please tell me what you think. I don't mind any advice to improve (and if I made any typos, please tell me...I usually do in every document I submit)**

**Just a little warning, there may be some offensive language in here.**

"I'm really sorry, Jill." Takakura apologized, grabbing her hand with both of his and shaking it gently. "He was a really close friend to me and we'll all miss him very much." The young heir to the farm only nodded, not even bothering to shed a tear for the death of her only parent. She had been to several funerals throughout her life and the _novelty_ wore off quickly. Jill's mother had passed away when she was just a baby, leaving her and her father to watch over the farm on their own. And afterwards, her father was always ill, eventually to the point where she was forced to care for the farm on her own. She expected him to pass on, it was just waiting for the moment when he would kick the bucket and once it finally happened, she had already cried enough to the point that it had gotten old. She knew she wasn't the only orphan in the valley, everyone suffered from their share of tragedies, almost like a curse. Jill was just added to the list. Besides, at the time, there was something else occupying her thoughts. _A note...of all the days..._

"If you ever need anything, we're here for you." Muffy took both of Jill's hands in her own, forcing a smile before parting alongside Griffin who nodded. There was a tugging on the young farmer's sleeve. Her kid cousin, also orphaned but at a much younger age, Kent.

"Aren't you upset?" He asked her. Jill shrugged her shoulders as a response, seemingly at a loss for words. Kent couldn't even remember his parents and instead lived with their grandfather for some time. But the time he spent there seemed short-lived and after the passing of his elder guardian, Jill and her father had taken him in, moving him into the valley at the age of three when Jill was only 15. He had such a vague memory of any of his relatives that he then just referred to his uncle as "dad" and Jill "sister". They sat through the many pitifuls speeches made by almost every resident in the valley, even a few of those who visited from Mineral Town before they scurried home, still dressed in their all-black formal wear.

Jill was occupied with dinner, mixing a medley of vegetables in the pan and adding a drop of oil after each thorough stirring. At the time, Kent was busy outside in the chicken coop, playing with one of the newly hatched chicks like he often did. And she was completely alone in the dimmly lit house. The house was a little too cozy. Although, without a third person, it may be more bearable, but it was also somewhat lonely. She began picking up on more of the house's imperfections easily. There was that ominous cold draft coming from the window in the evening that never seemed bothered her until now. Maybe it was because there was no one she could rant to about getting it repaired. Usually her father would be lying in bed going off about his golden years with a cheerful smile as Jill stood in the kitchen cooking supper.

"Is dinner ready yet?" The door creaked open, revealing Kent with chicken feed stuck to his clothing. Jill chuckled slightly and shook her head. _She almost forgot about the note. She wasn't even going to bother telling Kent._

"Almost. Why don't you get changed. It should be ready then." She advised him, watching him scurry off into the other room. Both of them were still formally dressed from the funeral, not even bothering to change. It surprised her that Kent didn't seem that upset by the entire funeral. He seemed fine to the point it was as if nothing had even happened. And that night, dinner seemed to last a lot longer than expected. Both sat in complete silence, only listening to the sound of the silverware clicking against the dishes and the draft coming through the window. "You should get to bed." Jill finally told her young cousin. "I'm going to go for a walk."

"Can't I come? I don't want to be all alone!" He begged her, still not wavering her decision.

"It's late, you need to go to bed. I'm not going to be that long anyway. And when I get back, I'll tuck you in." She forced a smile and strolled out of the house, inhaling the chilly autumn air and stepping further into the outdoors. She wandered her fields aimlessly, discretely armed with her trusted frying pan that was more of a weapon than an actual cooking utensil. It was around 10:45 and the young farmer was still dressed elegantly in her black formal wear, her chestnut hair flowing down to her mid-back. At this point it was just a matter of waiting in the shadows casted by the farmhouse.

It seemed to take hours before eventually she noticed a young man walking in the direction of her crops seemingly going unnoticed as she hid behind the house. Her dog happened to asleep by the house, taking notice to the man but instead ignored taking action and fell back asleep. _Damn dog...he's usueless._ Jill thought to herself. The thief was tall and somewhat scrawny man with silver hair and sea green eyes unique from those of anyone else Jill knew in the valley. _I can take this bitch._ She smirked to herself, creeping to the front of the house when the thief seemed to gain sudden interest in the valuables that might be hiding within the house. His hand was reaching for the handle until Jill sprang from her place and struck the man's face with the cooking utensil as if it was a baseball bat, sending him to the ground as the sound echoed across the field. The young farmer pounced on top of him, pinning him down with her weight as she held the frying pan high above her head in a threatening position. The young man seemed surprised for a moment but quickly flashed the girl a sly smile.

"Got you, you little rat!" She grinned deviously and triumphantly.

"My, what a beautiful maiden. I didn't realize the farmer had such a beauty living with him. I would've visited much sooner if I knew." His hand reached up to stroke her cheek. However, the young woman swatted it away and leaned down to whisper threatening words into his ear.

"Listen to me. Keep your damn voice down. My little cousin is in there and I don't plan on traumatizing him with a sudden break in any time soon." She growled, leaning more of her weight against him. "By the way, the farmer died, asshole. And I swear to Goddess, you steal anything..." Jill sighed as if in defeat then stared at the front door to her house, trailing off with the rest of her thoughts.

"My apologies, dear. But I _never_ leave empty handed." The man highlighted, enjoying the sensation of the girl's body being pressed against his own. He stared at her for a while as her head was turned, admiring the physical beauty of the young woman pinning him down. It was just his luck she was dressed so formally instead of witnessing her in her working outfit. Her eyes were a unique amythyst color, deep and almost intriguing as they sparkled with a hint of sorrow. In the dim light of the moon shone down on her skin, giving it a natural glow that hadn't gone unnoticed by the man. She was a lean young woman with slender shoulders and a slim waist yet still seemed to have a strong build. "And I _will_ get exactly what I want."

"What the hell makes you think that?" Her head whipped around as her violet eyes filled with anger and frustration. As she was glancing back at the door, the thief flipped her over, now hovering over her body with a lustful glint in his eyes. "Wh-what are you doing?" Panic swept over her face and she squeezed her eyes shut, expecting the man to take advantage of the position they were in.

"Women are always falling for my charms. You are no exception." He grinned deviously, chuckling at the brunette's expression until he crawled off of her.

"Your _charms_? Someone's ego is showing." He still kept that proud smile on his face. "You really aren't that impressive." Her lips were pursed tightly as she observed his reaction which to her discontent seemed uneffected. He offered her a hand in assistance which she took reluctantly considering she was having a hard time in the short formal dress. The man began wandering toward her crops. "Touch them and I'll split your skull open!" She yelled while still trying to keep her voice down. The thief simply chuckled and ignored her demand. "Hey, are you deaf or something? Listen to me!" Jill slipped off her heels and sprinted toward the young man while clutching her frying pan, only tolose her footing and almost slip in the dirt. With a huff of air, she charged after him once again like a bull.

"Oh well. You asked for it." The silver-haired man grinned as he suddenly clenched his fist and narrowed his eyes at the farmer. "CHICK-BEAM...FIRE!" He bellowed before Jill could tackle him. She stood frozen in her place without any control over her limbs, wriggling her head as if she could slip out of the spell. With a sigh in defeat, she shifted her gaze to the soil. "Well, maybe now since you resorted to such violent measures, maybe I will take a peek inside the house." The thief grinned in triumph, observing the young woman's expression in ammusement. "And don't worry, you'll be able to move soon."

"You're so annoying...how the hell did you even do _that_?" She mumbled under her breath. "W-will you be willing to make a deal?" A light blush dusted across her cheeks and the farmer turned away, avoiding eye contact with the man who's name still remained unknown. She was admitting defeat and swallowing her confidence with difficulty.

"For such a lovely maiden, I could." He stated as a matter of factly. He slowly approached the girl, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

"Y-you can take my crops...but please don't go in the house...I...I wouldn't want to explain to a child why such misfortune could happen all in one day." Jill stammered, cursing herself for her lack of courage. She began muttering several profanities under breath as her head hung lowly on its frozen base.

"You truly are admirable. I will abide to your wishes. But..." He pinched her chin playfully. "Before so, may I ask for such a beautiful maiden's name?"

"Jill, who the _hell_ are you anyway?" She narrowed her eyes, half-expecting him not to answer. He inhaled sharply before finally responding.

"I'm Phantom Skye, Prince of the Stars and quite the ladies' man." He announced dramatically. He noticed the young woman snorted, biting back a smile. "But please, just call me Skye." A smirk played his lips and the young farmer was shaking her head as if in disbelief. Skye turned to the crops, picking what he wished to take carefully before stuffing it into a black bag that he slung over his shoulders. "Thank you for the vegetables, darling. And I'm truly sorry about your husband." Her eyes widened with shock.

"Husband? I'm not married! My father was the farmer." She corrected him, still frozen to the ground. She watched as the so-called _Prince of the Stars_ beamed with delight.

"Oh, so you're still available? What a pleasant surprise?" It almost sounded saracstic and he spun around to take his leave.

"Don't get any ideas, prick." He completely brushed her comment aside.

"Well, sweet dreams, Jill. I have a feeling we will meet again."

"I sure as hell hope not." The farmer yelled. She could hear the thief chuckling. _When the hell is this supposed to wear off? M_y_ head's so damn itchy!_

"May the Harvest Goddess light your father's way to heaven." He called back to the rancher and disappeared into the shadows.

"..."

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**So it turned out okay...hopefully it'll get better. Jill has some maternal instincts haha. Any mother figure would whack a mysterious man about to break into their home with a frying pan, right? **

**By the way, anyone recognize Kent from Harvest Moon 64? I always wished they brought him back. Stu and May are adorable but I always thought Kent was pretty funny. **


	2. Lush

**Please tell me what you think. I know Skye isn't really in this chapter that much but I'll try to add more in the next chapter.**

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"Jill, I can't find my textbook!" Kent flailed his arms around the room, frantically searching for the said item. His surrogate older sister took a quick look around the room as she hastily prepared a few fried eggs and toast for breakfast.

"Where the hell'd you leave it?" Jill answered back, sweating over the stovetop as she snatched the toast from the toaster and flipped the egg overtop, placing it on a plate to leave on the table. "Hurry up and eat that before the damn dog does." She warned him, pointing at him with a spatula as he crawled under his bed to snatch his textbook.

"I found it!" He beamed, hopping in the chair in front of his plate of food. Jill threw a carrot onto the plate for him and prepared her own dish, sitting across from her young cousin. "I had my vegetables yesterday..." He sulked, looking up at the farmer who was taking a hefty bite out of her toast.

"Well, have more. You don't eat enough vegetables to begin with." She shot back, forking down the eggs on her plate. Kent grudgingly placed the carrot into his mouth, scrunching his features as he chewed and eventually swallowed the orange vegetable.

"It's disgusting!" He whined, letting his tongue hang from his mouth, scratching the taste of the putrid food from his taste buds.

"Yeah, whatever." Jill rolled her eyes, checking her watch. "Hurry up and eat. You have to get to school soon." The young boy wolfed down his breakfast and rushed out the door, waving to his cousin as he set off for school. Afterwards, Takakura helped Jill with the farm chores, giving her the rest of the day to spend with friends after situating Kent at home and asking how school was as per usual. This time, she made sure to lock every door and window in the house as well as entrusting her eight year-old cousin with the same cooking utensil that had collided with a certain thief's face the previous night. She made sure not to give him a clear-cut explanation as to why she was handing it over to him at the time and instead left him hammering her with questions as she stepped out the door. She wandered off to the bar to meet Muffy, the somewhat ditzy barmaid of the Blue Bar but still a reliable friend.

"Jill!" Upon entering, Jill was met with the open arms of her blonde friend and the courteous nodding of the bartender, Griffin. Muffy wasted no time hammering her friend with questions, directing her to one of the bar stools to chat.

"So how've you been?" She asked in a preppy voice.

"Good. It hasn't really hit me that hard. I was sorta expecting it." Jill turned to Griffin. "Can I get a shot?" She had fully intended to get drunk tonight. It was almost like an impulse she _wanted_ to act on.

"No problem. No use in shedding more tears." Griffin added, placing Jill's order in front of her before turning to speak with Marlin who was sitting a few stools away. She nodded a thank you as Muffy reached out for her hands.

"I'm so happy to hear that!" She proclaimed, stretching her arms over her head in a sigh of relief. The young farmer debated whether she should inform the barmaid about the man she had run into the previous night. In all her years of living here, she had never seen that man before until that night.

"Hey, Muffy...have you had any problems with a thief lately?" The young woman asked nervously. The blonde barmaid eyed her suspiciously as the farmer downed her drink, waving Griffin for another.

"A thief? No, why...what happened?" She asked, slightly concerned. Jill scratched the back of her head feverishly.

"Well, the day of my father's funeral, I got a note from this thief that calls himself the _Phantom Thief_...something like that. He said he was going to come by at night and when he did..."

"Did he hurt you? Or Kent? I'll slap that man to a pulp!"

"No! He didn't hurt me. It was weird but he was actually pretty calm when I..._confronted_ him...he wasn't as...dangerous as I originally expected." Jill proceeded to explain in full detail what happened that night, including how he referred to her as 'dear' or 'darling' affectionately and the strange spell he casted on her that prevented her from moving to which Muffy grinned deviously, teasing the farmer playfully about turning some heads. As she continued to review the night with her friend, she had already downed three shots within 45 minutes. Her cheeks were starting to flush and her words were slurring but she still continued pouring the shots down her throat. Griffin took quick notice then cut into the coversation.

"Jill...I think it's time you got home..." Griffin interrupted, watching as the young woman's head swayed back and forth with an empty glint in her eyes.

"Whyyyy?" She whined childishly. Griffin and Muffy both sighed. Marlin was still sitting in the stool a few seats away from the intoxicated farmer and was now preparing to leave. "Just one more drink...pleeeease?

"Marlin, I'm sorry to ask you this...but can you take Jill home? There's a thief going around and I don't want her to get hurt." The bartender turned to him as he nodded reluctantly. It wasn't the first time he was forced into dragging the farmer back home after she passed her limit. She could hold her alcohol well but she always pushed herself and he always managed to be there when it happened. It wasn't like he didn't like Jill, she was always kind to him and tried not to bother him often. However, when she was drunk, she did the exact opposite while also passing sexual remarks at the farmhand just to see him get flustered.

"Ooooh!" The young woman cooed, latching onto his arm. "_You're_ taking me home." Marlin simply sighed and shot a look at the older bartender.

"You'll get a free drink tomorrow." Muffy chimed in with a cheeky grin, waving her friend off as Marlin escorted her back home. Jill was lingering extremely close to the young man, flashing a goofy grin as she stumbled beside him.

"You're blushhing, Marlin!" The lush poked a finger at the man's face teasingly and biting her lip seductively.

"That's enough, Jill." He muttered, not actually trying to brush her off his arm. Suddenly he stopped completely in the middle of the path, glancing around the area suspiciously. "Don't you feel like we're being watched?" It was a lost cause asking someone who was drunk a question like that but he did anyway.

"I don't feel a thinnng!" A sly smirk spread acorss her lips as she grasped his arm tighter. "But I can feel somethin' if you want me to... if ya know what I mean." The young farmer winked, causing the man to shake his head, biting back a smile as he blushed a deeper shade of red and tugged her along the path.

"Nevermind, you've just got to get home." He mumbled. Skye was watching from inside one of the bushes along the pathway, observing the young farmer's behavior and the strange man that she was so attatched to. She wasn't wearing any formal clothing and was rather dirty and worn out from work. _What a fruit... _He thought to himself with a smirk plastered to his lips.

"You're warm." She giggled while resting her head against the farmhand to which he responded with another sigh.

"Okay, Jill..." As the pair disappeared into the late of night, the thief crawled out of his hiding place and continued to roam the valley. However, he remained a little curious about the young farmer and her strange behavior. _Does she seriously act like that when she has a kid?_ He pondered but quickly shrugged it off and spent the rest of the night relaxing at the Goddess Pond in solitude.

Meanwhile, Marlin was struggling to get the young woman to stay in her bed instead of roaming around the tiny house, getting into the kitchen cabinets and the cabinets under the sink in the bathroom like she had the previous times he was forced to drag her home. Kent was awake at the time, trying to reach for the ibuprofen to leave on his cousin's nightstand like he would always do after she over indulged in alcohol.

"I can't reach!" He whined, hopping up and down on the step-up stool. Marlin inhaled sharply and quickly went to the medicine cabinet to hand the boy the bottle then returned to putting the blankets over Jill. Before he left, he patted the young boy's head and flicked the farmer's forehead lightly, retreating into the cool autumn night air. "See, I knew it! You were upset with dad's death!" The boy pointed his finger at his cousin almost in accusation. "I'm smarter than I look!" He grinned, crossing his arms and raising his chin. "You're going to have such a bad hangover tomorrow morning." The young boy started poking Jill's forehead in ammusement.

"Get the hell to bed!" She growled, pushing his face away. Her arm fell limp over the bed as the boy retreated to his bed, wearing a smug grin and hitting the light switch.

"Night, Jill!"

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**It's a slow start...but it'll get better. Please tell me what you think! **


	3. Flowers on the Grave

**Please tell me what you think. Skye's in this chapter more haha! Hopefully people actually like this story.**

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She was walking down a long, narrow corridor, scanning the many doors that revealed a heavenly light beneath the cracks. A deep blood red carpet was stretched down the wooden floorboards, leading to a massive wall of light at the end of the corridor almost as if she was walking directly into a spot light. Jill eyed the many doors then out of curiousity, she opened one revealing her father milking a cow in the center of a room looking as lively and healthy as he was before he became ill. There were detailed sceneries of a familiar farmland painted along the wall with sky blue paint splattered on ceiling and clouds that looked as if they were sponge painted onto the drywall. The carpet was dyed brown with areas left green to match the color and the texture of the earth to create the vibe that one was actually living on a farm. It created a much more liberated vibe compared to the stuffy corridor she appeared in.

"Dad, what the hell are you doing?" She asked raising an eyebrow in suspicion. Her father glanced up at his daughter with a gentle smile, waving his hand as a hello.

"Well, Jill, I'm living my dream!...well, almost." He wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead, still wearing that silly grin. She wanted to ask where she was and why there was a cow in the center of a carpeted room or why her father was here but the words didn't process through her mind correctly. "You should see grandpa's down the hall. Now that is strange." The young farmer raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Well, you better get going. I see your 'escort' is here." A broad grin spread across his face as he pointed to the space beside his daughter's side. Jill shifted her gaze to the now occupied space next to her and noticed a familiar bob of silver hair and mysterious sea green eyes boring into her own. She sprang backwards, nearly toppling over until the man caught a hold of her hand.

"Careful, dear." He chuckled, steadying her while still keeping a firm grip on her hand. "Come on, let's go."

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"Jill, wake up!" Kent bellowed in his cousin's ear, giggling as she jolted out of bed, nearly banging her head on the corner of the nightstand. "I fed the chickens and crated the eggs already. So I'm going to school now." He beamed, nudging her with his foot as she remained sprawled out acorss the wooden floor. Her head was throbbing in pain as she held it forcefully between her hands. The young farmer just mumbled a response and watched as the boy left the house with his bag slung over his shoulder. She noticed the bottle of ibuprofen left on the nightstand for her with a glass of water. _That kid..._ She grinned.

"Damnit...I have to get up now..." She muttered in annoyance, gathering herself from the floor and turning to the kitchen where Kent left two slices of toast for her. _What the hell was that dream? It must be the after effects of alcohol._ She quickly gulped down one of the pills with water and with a sigh, snatched both slices and quickly forked them down, got dressed, and went out to work. As she entered the animal barn, her cows mooed happily in greeting, waiting eagerly for their food. Jill let them outside to graze in the field after the tedious task of milking and brushing each thoroughly.

After she was finished watering her crops it was already 2 P.M. which meant Kent would be home soon hoping for dinner. The farmer checked the fridge and noticed a left over bowl of noodles and shrugged her shoulders. _That'll do._ She had to get out of the house. It was almost depressing spending time in the cozy house alone. It became somewhat dreary, as if her father's ghost was still resting in his bed watching his daughter progress in her life on the farm. He wanted her to grow up as both blissful and joyous but it almost seemed impossible. His daughter was almost emotionless. He would've been half-way content if she at least cried every once in a while instead of remaining completely stoic and impassive during difficult times. The only thing she could ever express was her frustration and resentment with life. And that worried him all the way to the grave.

Since the funeral, she hadn't visited her father's grave which, as desired, was at the Goddess Pond. She intended on leaving a few flowers on the grave later on in the night when Kent wouldn't have an excuse to join her. After the burglary, Jill had been much more cautious with her young cousin, advising him to lock the door and the windows whenever she wasn't home and _never_ talk to any strangers or anyone who looked rather suspicious (including Daryl who they were both familiar with). She even contemplated whether or not Flora could teach him some self-defense moves just in case. Even though the thief seemed rather harmless, Jill wasn't prepared to take any risks. If there was a thief scurrying around the valley, plenty of other derelicts could be wandering around as well.

She went out to walk around the valley, leaving a note for Kent telling him where she was and that there were leftover noodles in the fridge as well as a can of tomato sauce if he really wanted it. She also reminded him to lock the door and don't answer to any knocks. As the farmer meandered throughout the valley, plucking wildflowers as she went, night slowly fell over Forget-Me-Not and the young woman made her way to the Goddess Pond. She happened to pass Gustafa on her way, chatting with him briefly. He approached her and plucked another flower, adding it to her bouquet of valley flowers that she held loosely in her hands.

"Hey, Jill." He greeted cheerfully. Jill simply returned the smile while muttering a thanks.

"Hello, Gustafa. What're you doing out and about?" She asked politely.

"I'm actually heading back home." He answered her. The farmer always tried to restrain herself from staring at the man's glasses in an attempt to see his actual eyes but the hippie most likely just ignored it, or just got used to it. She could never see his eyes anyway. "How are you?"

"Good. Thanks..." The young woman replied. "Well, I better get going. I'll see you later."

"All right, see you later." He waved her off and she continued down the path to the Goddess Pond, sighing in relief as she arrived in the tranquil setting. Her father's grave was off to the side to avoid being trampled over by those who passed by to reach the water's edge. She remembered how her father told her about how sacred the Goddess Pond was and how he used to speak with the Harvest Goddess herself, asking for help by offering the Goddess his produce and other valuables in return. He would also ramble on for hours about the Harvest Sprites and the pranks he'd pull on the poor little creatures just to joke around. Jill never actually saw any of them and didn't truly believe they existed. Even as her father was taking his last breaths, he continued to talk about the Goddess and the Sprites, telling his daughter that she had to _save_ them. He was never given the chance to fully explain himself before he had died and that was the last she heard about any Goddess.

She hovered over the grave, clutching the flowers in one hand as the other basked in the warmth of her pant pocket. There was a twinge of pain that picked at her heart but not enough for her to spill tears.

"Stupid crazy bastard." Were the first words that escaped her chapped lips. "You and your damn fairytales..." The farmer muttered. "Out of all the other things you could've said...you waste it on fairytales..." Her grasp on the flowers loosened and she watched as each fell upon the dirt silently, only to be tossed around by the wind.

"My, you're becoming more intriguing by the minute, beautiful." A smooth voice chuckled as the familiar man with silver hair appeared from the shadows. "Paying your respects?"

"Oh, great..." She mumbled. Her head then turned to face him. "You're here..." Her lips curved downward into a deep scowl as she narrowed her eyes at the man. However, she only turned to leave the pond, hoping to avoid the thief completely. It was awkward knowing that man appeared in her dreams, playing such a weird role and here he was appearing out of nowhere around her again.

"Wait, Jill, you're leaving already?" The thief called out to her and smirked as her eyes widened in shock and a light blush spread acorss her cheeks. Her back was half-turned against him as she glanced in his direction with a bitter glare.

"I'm surprised you actually remembered my name. Especially cause I don't remember yours. Well, your real one that is, Mr. _Prince of the Ladies_." The young woman mused, scratching her forehead lightly while staring at him straight in the eyes. She used this as a chance to examine the man further. He really was the man that unexpectedly appeared in her dreams and he actually was handsome but his smug attitude was what made the farmer push him further away. Not only did he steal from her, but he stole from her right after she came home from her father's funeral of all the days.

"Prince of the _Stars_, dear. And it's Skye. You'll remember it eventually. I know that you can't resist a charming young man such as myself." He ran a pale hand through his silver hair, eyeing the farmer lustfully until he noticed her focus on the grave.

"Yeah, whatever. You're still the prick who stole from me." Her expression turned cold as she stared at him in resent. Skye stepped closer to the young woman, extending his hand out to her. "I don't understand why you're still acting all lovey. It's not like you're trying to get away with something..."

"Maybe I'm trying to get away with stealing your heart, fair maiden." The thief answered in a seductive tone. Jill snickered.

"Oh wonderful, Forget-Me-Not's phildanering lothario is trying to win me over." The young woman mused, placing her hands on her hips before her usual scowl returned to her face, twisting her features into an ugly arrangement.

"_Philandering?_ That almost sounds negative coming from your delicate lips." His outstretched hand gently took the farmer's hand, raising it to his lips. "I was also wondering why such a delicate beauty would ever drink to such an extent to become so drunk that a man would have to drag her home." Jill's eyes widened with shock and her face burned in embarrassment realizing what she might've said or done to humiliate herself in the presence of others while she was completely wasted. _Marlin...shoot...I should apologize..._

"W-well, that's none of your business." She stammered, snatching back her hand and wiping the man's warm touch on her pants. The thief pinched her chin.

"You're such a cutie when you're embarrassed." He cooed, until the young farmer's palm struck the side of his face in one swift movement. Skye still smiled, raising a hand to his cheek to rub the stinging area. "What a fresh young maiden..."

"Just adding some color to your face." She shot back innocently, turning to take her leave.

"You won't stay? I really wanted to get to know more about you."

"Well, sorry, I have more important things to deal with than telling a lowly _thief_ about myself." Her smug grin was well hidden in the darkness of the night.

"You're very cruel, Miss Jill. But who knows, one day you may just fall in love with me." The young woman continued down the path, avoiding him completely out of her anger. The thief snickered only to receive the middle finger as a response.

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**I have most of this story planned out in my head but if anyone has any tips or anything I'd love to hear it. **


	4. Muffy

**Sorry it's shorter than the other chapters. Skye will be in it more, I promise. It'll get more interesting.**

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"It's Friday! No school tomorrow!" Kent cheered, skipping around the house as Jill watched in ammusement, grabbing a couple bowls and a cereal box from the cabinets to place on the table.

"Did you do all your homework?" She asked her kid cousin, watching as he poured himself a hefty amount of cereal into his bowl.

"Yup!" The young boy grinned, stuffing a spoonful of the dry cereal in his mouth. "Oh! I forgot the milk."

"You're such a weirdo sometimes." Jill chuckled, taking her time in making herself a bowl. Kent's head quickly spun to the window, observing the weather from the small opening left by the curtains.

"Yay! And it's raining! No watering crops!" The child cheered with his mouth filled with food. The young farmer remained quiet while passing her cousin strange looks while she shook her head of a smile. "I'm going to go take care of the chickens now." Kent announced before devouring his food and placing the empty bowl in the sink. "Then I'm going to leave. Bye!" He snatched his bookbag and sprinted out the door to the chicken coop across the fields. Once Kent had finally left for school, Jill set out to do her own work, feeding and brushing the cows as well as collecting the milk. Afterward, she was free to roam the valley as she pleased, reminding herself to visit Vesta's farm to apologize to Marlin and also to visit Muffy to catch any fresh news. The young farmer strolled down the path with her hands in her pockets as she took deep breaths, sighing unconciously every once in a while. Meanwhile, the rain pelted her head, drenching her hair and soaking her clothes to her skin but it felt rather soothing to listen to it hit the ground and the rooftops that morning. Upon entering Vesta's farm, both Vesta and Celia noticed her and waved a modest hello from the fields which the young woman returned, flashing a small smile before knocking on the door. There was a burly voice from the other side, grumbling profanities before finally responding.

"Door's open!" He yelled. The farmer slowly creaked open the door, peeking her head inside to look at the man before finally fully entering and closing the door behind her. She shuffled her feet nervously, still embarrassed by her actions but eventually inhaled sharply.

"Sorry about the other night, Marlin." Jill blushed, rubbing the back of her head nervously as she spoke to him. She knew both Celia and Vesta insisted the young man stay inside due to the rain which made him a bit more grumpy than his usual self. But Jill was accustomed to it, having grown up most of her late teen years with the boy and spending time with him and Celia. However, as the young farmer apologized, instead of simply grunting a response, she noticed a light blush spread across his face as he turned to look out the window.

"It's fine." He replied, seemingly avoiding eye contact with the young woman.

"If that happens again, just make Griffin or Muffy take me home. I don't want to trouble you too much."

"No, it's fine." He answered as his eyes flickered around the room, searching for an object of interest.

"Well, okay...I'm going to go now, see you later." The farmer quickly waved off, more than anxious to escape another awkward situation. _That was way too awkward..._ The young woman made a beeline for the bar to talk to Muffy before Kent came home from school. Upon entering, the young barmaid bounced up and down, eager to reveal more news to her friend.

"Oooh! Jill, guess what?" The blonde cheered, clasping her hands together tightly as they hovered over her chest.

"Tomorrow night, I'm running the bar all by _myself_!" Muffy annonced enthusiastically as her friend raised a quesitoning eyebrow. Jill knew she always seemed to become eager even to the most minor good news. "Griffin has to go to Mineral Town to pick up one of our orders so I'm watching the bar." Jill flashed a nervous grin toward her friend, pondering on the possible reasons as to why Griffin would actually let her run the bar on her own. The farmer meant well and knew that Muffy was always a really good friend but she wasn't necessarily the one to have the _brains_ to manage things on her own.

"Really? You do realize you're going to be working alone? And there's that thief running around..." The young woman reminded her, stuffing her hands back in her pockets as the combination of the colder autumn weather and her soaking wet clothing chilled her entire body.

"Speaking of which, any more signs of that scoundrel?" The blonde placed a hand on her hip, waving a finger in Jill's face. The farmer rolled her eyes, pursing her lips tightly before releasing a dramatic sigh.

"That guy is so annoying! I saw him last night-"

"_Last night_?" Muffy interupted, grinning from ear-to-ear as she crossed her arms and eyed her friend suspiciously. Jill stuffed her hands further into her pockers and scowled, rolling her eyes at the blonde.

"Would you let me finish...?" The barmaid nodded. "Well, I saw him last night and he wouldn't stop talking to me. So I just left and walked home." Muffy glanced at the wall for a minute then bit her lip lightly as if she was trying to solve a riddle in her head.

"Maybe he _likes_ you!" She finally cheered, swinging her hips back and forth in an exaggerated semi-circle. Then she began giggling at the disgusted expression that appeared on her friend's face.

"No!" Jill shot back, clenching her fists and shaking her head furiously. But Muffy was still smiling. Just the thought of that man having _any _romantic feelings toward her thoroughly disgusted her.

"Well, anyway, Lumina mentioned he robbed the villa a couple nights ago...something like that..." Muffy rested an elbow on the counter, leaning her head in her palms as she fiddled with a quarter she found. "I wonder if he plans on doing anything tonight..."

"Probably not. It's raining out and it seems like too much of a hassle." The farmer reasoned, checking her watch reading 2:48 P.M. "Well, I have to get going, Kent's going to be home soon." The young woman smiled and waved her friend off, walking along the path north to her farm, passing Takakura's house and finally making it home with enough time to change before Kent came home. She stripped herself of her soaked clothing and slipped on a black long-sleeved top and a pair of jeans, throwing an apron over her body to start dinner which consisted of only fish with a side of rice. She opened the fridge, scanning its contents for the fish when her eyes caught on to the bottle of unopened wine that she bought a week or two ago. _I really shouldn't..._ She warned herself and shook her head. Instead, Jill carefully removed the fish from her fridge and placed it on a cutting board on the kitchen counter. As she proceeded to sharpening the knife she was to use, Kent came through the door, wearing a more sorrowful expression on his childish face.

"What's wrong with you?" The young farmer asked, rinising the knife quickly in water before slicing into the fish.

"I was going to play with Kate but she's playing with Hugh today..." He sighed, taking a seat on the floor in front of the TV to turn on the videogame console on its stand. The young boy couldn't see the smirk spreading across his cousin's lips as she turned to him with narrowing eyes.

"You like her, don't you?" She reasoned, tilting her head to the side and placing her hands on her hips. A giggle escaped her lips as Kent's entire face turned a beat red and he turned to face her, waving his finger in protest.

"No! Girls have cooties! I-I was just bored and I wanted something to do." He proclaimed, returning his attention to his starting game. Jill rolled her eyes and went back to carving the fish for dinner, removing the meat from the outer skin and wiping the guts from her hands on her apron.

"You'll understand your feelings when you're older." The young woman spoke sagely, nodding her head to herself despite knowing that her young cousin wasn't listening. "Why didn't you just join them? I'm sure they wouldn't mind."

"Oh well...I-I'll play with her tomorrow!" The child exclaimed, still staring at the TV screen and mashing the buttons on his controller.

"You're ridiculous..."

* * *

**Please tell me what you think. I know this chapter is kinda short and boring but it's leading up to something.**


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